When Pat Thomson was young and fearless she started an alternative school; this experience helped her to understand that it was possible to 'do school' in ways that were more engaging and equitable. This understanding has underpinned all of the work she has done since, as both a practising school principal/headteacher and as an academic. She now researches and writes about school leaders and school change, and the arts, schools and communities, incorporating perspectives from films, television and literary texts and building on her professional experiences. When she moved from Australia to take up a Chair in Education at The University of Nottingham she also wrote and blogged about academic writing and approaches to research and research education. Now back in Australia, she continues to edit two book series and write - a lot.
